No bail for Deerfield man charged in wife's slaying
A Lake County judge ordered a Deerfield man accused of handcuffing, assaulting and fatally stabbing his wife to remain behind bars with no bail.
Judge Paul Novak was due to hold a bail hearing for Gary Kamen, 55, Thursday to argue a motion to keep Kamen in Lake County jail until the case is decided at trial. However, in a surprise move, Lake County Public Defender Sharmila Manak did not oppose the motion filed by Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Scott Hoffert.
Novak had no choice but to rule in favor of Hoffert and to hold Kamen on no bond until his case is decided. Kamen could choose to revisit the bond order if he hires a private attorney at a later date.
Novak did allow Kamen telephone privileges to hire an attorney.
Kamen, who again appeared in court with two bruised eye sockets and cuts on his face, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He is accused of killing wife, Karyn, after holding her hostage Sept. 21 in their house on the 1000 block of Peachtree Lane.
Court documents filed by Hoffert this week allege Kamen sent his children off to school before handcuffing and sexually assaulting his wife. Hoffert said in the court document that Kamen shut the windows and blinds, moved his wife to different locations in the house, and changed the position of the handcuffs during the attack.
After handcuffing and sexually assaulting his wife, Kamen drank whiskey and took Ambien, causing him to black out, the court document reads. When he regained awareness, he found Karyn Kamen was on the floor covered in blood.
Gary Kamen called police and told them he stabbed and killed his 53-year-old wife, the court document reads. Police found Karyn Kamen in an upstairs bedroom with more than 15 stab wounds. She was taken to Highland Park Hospital, where she was pronounced dead the next day.
Police recovered the knife, an object used in the sexual assault and several suicide letters written by Gary Kamen, the court document reads.
In addition to giving police a confession, Gary Kamen called his brother from the police station and officers overheard him admit "he had a psychotic episode and killed his wife," the document reads.
Hoffert initially pushed to keep Kamen in Lake County jail without bail while awaiting trial because Kamen poses "a real and present threat to the physical safety to members of his family," the document reads.